Illinois recently released an updated transmission guide for 2021 Form W-2 and W-2C filed in 2022. Most changes to the transmission guide are the result of consolidating information from other sources, clarifying information from the previous guide, or updating dates to reflect the new tax year.
General Information.
• Illinois begins accepting 2021 W-2 and W-2C transmissions on January 3, 2022. Illinois began accepting test submissions on November 1, 2021.
• The deadline is January 31, 2022.
• W-2s and W-2Cs may be submitted by the Easy Web Upload method (previously referred to as web file upload) or the Gateway Method (previously referred to as HTTPSPost Utility Program).
• This guide only contains information for submitting W-2 and W-2C using electronic transmission. A separate guide exists for submitting W-2 and W-2C using “MyTax Illinois”.
• Code RV. State Total Record (RS) – For form W-2, this field is now recommended and no longer required.
• Code RCV. State Total Record (RCS) – For form W-2C, this field is now recommended and no longer required.
Table of Contents. The new guide includes an interactive table of contents.
Added Content. The new guide includes an additional 12 pages of content consisting of information previously located in separate guides. References to the separate guides have been removed and these guides are no longer active on the Illinois website. The new content includes:
• W-2 Record Layout Tables (pg. 3-5): Illinois Header Record Layout; Submitter Record (RA) Layout; Employer Record (RE) Layout; Federal Employee Wage Record (RW) Layout; Employee Wage Record (RO) Layout; State Wage Record (RS) Layout; Federal Total Record (RT) Layout; Total Record (RU) Layout Form; State Record (RV) Layout; Final Record (RF) Layout.
• W-2C Record Layout Tables (pg. 6-8): Illinois Header Record Layout; Submitter Record (RCA) Layout; Employer Record (RCE) Layout; Federal Employee Wage Record (RCW) Layout; Employee Wage Record (RCO) Layout; State Wage Record (RCS) Layout; Federal Total Record (RCT) Layout; Total Record (RCU) Layout; State Record (RCV) Layout; Final Record (RCF) Layout.
• Error Codes and Descriptions (pg. 10)
• HttpsPost Utility Program Instructions (pg. 11-16)
Methods of Transmission. The methods of transmission are the same, but Illinois uses new terms to refer to them.
• Easy Web Upload. Illinois previously referred to this method as Web File Upload.
• Gateway Method. Illinois previously referred to this method as HttpsPost Utility Program. Detailed instructions for this method have been added to pages 11-16 of this guide.
New Emails. The new guidance includes email addresses for questions concerning:
• MyTax Illinois (REV.MyTaxHelp@Illinois.gov)
• ILFIRE Transmission Program (REV.ElectronicFiling@Illinois.gov).
https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/programs/electronicservices/Documents/efw2specsguide.pdf
